Conventional storage cabinets, particularly of the kitchen wall mounted type, are not ergonomically convenient to certain groups of people; moreover, most top shelves are too high and out of reach for the average person. Consequently, people in wheel chairs, for example, otherwise capable of performing normal activities, may be unable to reach items stored in any of the cabinet shelves. Similarly, the ability to reach or to kneel can be difficult for some in the elderly populace, those with disabilities or physical ailments and for individuals of less than average height.
A number of storage cabinets have been created that allow access to shelves that are difficult to reach. Bond et al, (U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,605) discloses a cabinet which drives a basket or shelf forward and then lifts it upward using a motor driven linear actuator or pulleys rotated by drive cords of belts. Jobe, (U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,898) shows a cabinet assembly which moves reversibly along a track on roller guide bearings, down and out away from a wall, and which can be moved by a motorized hoist. Kingsborough et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,461) describes a storage device for cabinets having shelves carried by pairs of spaced, pivotally mounted arms. The arms are adapted to swing outwardly and downwardly, with the shelves maintaining a substantially horizontal attitude. A power unit extends and retracts a flexible cord to move the assembly.
Several other U.S. Patents have been found, most however, are based upon assemblies that can be unsafe. From the above-mentioned related art, it is apparent that there continues to be a need for reachable cabinet assemblies which are strong and safe.